The Way I See It By Robert M. Miller, D.V.M. Myths and Mystiques of the Peruvian Paso

"You'd better slow down," I advised the rider. "You have 85 more miles to go." down," she chirped, "I'm on a EARLY 3 decades ago I was treating some patients "I can't slow N Peruvian Paso and she only has this one speed!" at an Arabian stable at Calabasas, California. The stable "She'll never make it," I thought. "Neither of was in a small valley at the foot of some steep hills. them will go halfway." Suddenly, I heard a clattering on the hillside I was wrong. I watched them cross the finish line above me, and I looked up to see. . . an apparition. A at 2 a.m. at the fairgrounds in Auburn. After 101 miles rider clothed all in white, with a flat, broad brimmed hat the lady was still bubbly and the 's legs still going and a flowing cape was coming down the hill on a like an eggbeater. peculiar looking mare with an amazing gait. She was Not long after that I was worming a bunch of moving at a rapid, four-beat gait, her forelegs rotating at a stable. One side was bounded by a solid outward in a most unusual manner. plank fence that was 7 or 8 feet high. On the opposite "What in the world is that?" I asked. "Oh, that's side of the wall! saw a man's head gliding along the Peruvian trainer one of our neighbors imported, smoothly. I watched in fascination, thinking that he must along with a boat-load of Peruvian Paso ." be riding one of those big-wheeled Gay Nineties Not long afterwards, the owner of the mare bicycles, but when he emerged from behind the fence, I called me to see some of his horses. They had been could see that he was riding a Peruvian . foundered by excessive barefoot riding. Aha! For the first time, I understood what the "You don't ever shoe these horses,"he said, "I breed was all about. I was looking at the smoothest- don't understand why they foundered." riding horse I had ever seen. The potential for the breed I had run across the first of many myths was obvious to me then, and I decided to learn more concerning the Peruvian horse—that they never need to about them. be shod—and in the years that followed I was learn Whenever something new came into my many more myths about these unusual horses; some practice, I would study up on the breed, learn the history based on fact and some on fantasy. and bloodlines, and try to ride some of them. At this The largest concentration of the breed was soon point there were about 600 of the horses registered in located in my practice area, and in the years ahead I was the United States, most of them in California, so I took a going to have many of them as patients, get to know the 4-day weekend and visited several of the farms between breed, vet two national shows, and eventually be invited Los Angeles and Santa Cruz, a distance of nearly 400 to attend the National in Lima, , an miles. By the time I got back, I knew the bloodlines, the unforgettable experience. conformational standards, and I had ridden a dozen or I was not impressed by the breed at first. The more top horses. imported group of mares were mostly culls, but I didn't In all breeds of horses there is a mystique based realize that, and assumed they were typical of the on the history and origins of the breed, plus myths, breed. The mares were homely, with poor conformation some of which are true, and some of which are and a baffling gait. completely false. Having had a lot of experience with My first favorable impression came when I Peruvian horses, I decided to write this explanation to served as an inspecting veterinarian for the Tevis Cup set the record straight. endurance race. At the 15-mile checkpoint, a chubby Because this is a relatively new breed in the little lady in a stock rode up on a chubby little United States, the myths persist. Those that are true sweating, hard-breathing mare whose legs moved like should be substantiated. Those that are untrue should an eggbeater. be destroyed. So, here we go. Here are the myths: Peruvian Pasos are the oldest registered breed They are "double-jointed." They are not, but in the world. I guess this is true. The Peruvians have their legs are remarkably flexible. Typically, you can kept records on this breed and selectively bred them for obtain about 25 percent more flexion when flexing the 4 centuries. ankles of a healthy Peruvian horse than you can in other They do not need to be shod. Grossly untrue. breeds. Although these horses must be shown barefoot (a novel This breed has great endurance. True. Perhaps as and commendable tradition), they are horses and their a breed they cannot surpass the legendary endurance of feet wear down. If ridden enough, they must be shod. the Arabian horse, but they have more stamina than Most of them do have tough feet. most breeds, especially when their gait is considered, They have a wonderful disposition. True. The with its flailing lateral actions (called terinino), their Peruvians culled those individuals with a bad animation (called brillo), and the rapid staccato rhythm. temperament (but do Americans?). The breed has a I can understand why the Paso is valued in Peru, a characteristically kind and soft eye. Unfortunately, some country with endless miles of mountainous trials and of the traditional Peruvian training techniques are vast deserts. unnecessarily harsh, and this creates behavior problems It takes a Peruvian trainer (called a chalon) to in some of the horses. properly train these horses, because they are ridden Peruvian horses do not kick. Oh yeah? The last differently than other horses. six horses who kicked me when I was in practice were Here's where I get controversial. Traditionally, Peruvians. They do have a good temperament as a Peruvian Pasos are ridden with the riders' weight far breed, but they are horses and they will kick. back, well behind the withers. This bothered me The gait is 100 percent dominant and even because in all schools of horsemanship—western, their mule offspring have the gait. I believed this until I English, dressage— the concept is that the center of went to Peru, where the production of is an gravity of the horse is close to the withers and that the important part of the Peruvian Paso industry. Gaited rider should not compromise the action of the horse by mules are specially honored at the National Horse Show, getting too far back behind the point of balance. You see but they are not all born with the gait. However, all of this style of riding—way back—at all Peruvian Paso the horse foals I have seen have the gait, although in shows. some it is far better than in others. For many decades, the ultimate guru of the They are the smoothest horse in the world. breed was a Peruvian aristocrat who has been dead for many years. His name was Fernando Graña. I saw films I'm not going to stick my neck out on this one, but I will of him riding, and to my surprise I noted that he rode a say that, having ridden Fox Trotters, Tennessee Walking classical dressage seat, even in the traditional Peruvian Horses, and Paso Finos, all wonderful breeds, that the saddle, and even at the National Horse Show in Lima. smoothest gaited horses I have personally been on have A few years before his death, I had the honor of been certain Peruvian horses. Why don't I own one? meeting Señor Graña at a client's ranch. We discussed Because smoothness is not my priority (yet). the breed over coffee, and I told him that I thought that They don't go lame. The heck they don't! This he rode differently than other Peruvian trainers I had breed is remarkably resistant to many of the common seen (most California farms had Peruvian trainers). I lamenesses afflicting other breeds. I have never asked for his comment. This is what he told me: personally diagnosed navicular disease in a Peruvian "You are very perceptive. I will tell you horse. Spavins, ringbone, and bowed tendons are rare something, and if you quote me I will deny I said it. considering how forcefully they use their limbs. They are "Most of my countrymen are unsophisticated susceptible, however, to suspensory apparatus failure, horsemen. They use traditional colonial methods of and associated conditions such as sesamoiditis and training and riding. I had the advantage of military riding suspensory ligament sprains. In Peru these individuals school education, and I was fortunate to be able to study are culled (are they in America?). Except for those classical in Europe. I am a successful horses with weak suspensory problems, they are horseman because I ride correctly. Most Peruvian resistant to lameness, but this suspensory problem is a horsemen do not. I have been honest with you and serious one that American breeders must be aware of. answered your question, but I will expect you not to You must use Peruvian tack to get the best quote me while I am alive." Nonsense! These horses are fun to ride under any gait. I never did. ' kind of tack. They are horses!